The YNaija Weekly Review: [9th – 15th May, 2011]

Activists said that heavy shooting was heard in a western suburb of Syria’s capital, Damascus, after the army cordoned off the area.

Hundreds of people are feared to have drowned after a boat carrying 600 refugees to Europe sank off the coast of Tripoli.

With Manchester United on the brink of a record 19th league title, Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola led the plaudits by calling them an “extraordinary” side.

Belgian cyclist Wouter Weylandt died after a crash during Monday’s third stage of the Giro d’Italia. The Leopard-Trek rider fell at high speed during a descent about 20km (12.4 miles) from the finish of the stage from Reggio Emilia to Rapallo. The 26-year-old lay motionless on the roadside as paramedics tried to resuscitate him.

The recipient of America’s first full face transplant hailed his newly regained sense of smell as one of the top benefits of the surgery. Dallas Wiens, whose face was burnt off after his head hit a power line in 2008, appeared in public for the first time since the surgery today.

TUESDAY

Microsoft is in talks to buy internet phone service Skype, the Wall Street Journal reported.

London’s National Gallery is to limit visitor numbers to a major Leonardo da Vinci exhibition to stop large crowds detracting from the viewing experience.

UN aid chief Valerie Amos called for a pause in hostilities in Libya to help ease the humanitarian crisis.

Former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and his wife of 25 years, Maria Shriver, announced that they are separating.

WEDNESDAY

The sons of Osama Bin Laden criticised his “arbitrary killing” and asked why he did not have the chance to stand trial.

Two Swedish men were jailed for life in the Philippines for running a cybersex business that featured naked women performing for internet clients.

Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye said he was blocked from returning home one day before President Yoweri Museveni’s inauguration.

US hedge fund billionaire Raj Rajaratnam faces up to 20 years in prison after being found guilty of making more than $60m from insider trading.

A magnitude 5.3 earthquake killed at least 10 people and topples buildings in southern Spain, near the town of Lorca, officials say.

THURSDAY

A German court found John Demjanjuk, 91, guilty of helping to murder more than 28,000 Jews as a Nazi death camp guard during World War II.

Neil Lennon is believed to have been sent a bullet in the post on the morning after being attacked on the touchline at Hearts. It comes as Scottish football chiefs vowed to crack down on the simmering tensions surrounding Lennon after the Celtic boss was attacked by a thug on the touchline.

Suzanne Mubarak, the wife of the ousted Egyptian president, is detained for 15 days pending further investigations into corruption allegations.

Man Utd boss Sir Alex Ferguson was charged with improper conduct by the Football Association for comments made about referee Howard Webb.

SATURDAY

The White House stopped short of granting Libya’s rebel council full diplomatic recognition, as Col Gaddafi taunted NATO, saying he is beyond its reach.

Legendary folk-rock singer Bob Dylan insists he was not censored by Chinese authorities ahead of concerts he performed there earlier this year.

A controversial Wayne Rooney penalty was enough to secure Manchester United’s record-breaking 19th league title at Blackburn Rovers.

SUNDAY

Avram Grant was sacked as West Ham manager after failing to keep the club in the Barclays Premier League. The Hammers were relegated to the Championship after losing 3-2 at Wigan and Grant has paid the price for failure.

The head of the International Monetary Fund, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, faces sex assault charges over an alleged incident with a New York hotel maid.

Sony says it is starting to restore its online PlayStation video game network – more than three weeks after a major security breach forced its closure.

YNaija is the internet newspaper for young Nigerians, focused on the issues and ideas that matter for an evolving generation. It is an arm of the RED brand, which is the continent's largest omni-media group focused on Africa's youth.
Contact us: info[@]ynaija[dot]com